The Flight of the Phoenix

Viper Pilot · Jun 08, 2003, 10:47 AM

Great old movie. Jimmy Stewart at his best.

One question, though . . . . what is the Phoenix??

VP

Paul · Jun 08, 2003, 11:02 AM

Are you wondering about the origin of the Phoenix myth or the plane in the movie?

The Pheonix is a bird from Greek mythology that lives for 500-1000 years and then dies and reproduces itself, the young Phoenix then lives for another 500-1000 years and the cycle continues....

The plane in the movie, I have no idea. That is one of my favorite movies though. I just watched it a few nights ago.

Paul

leccyflyer · Jun 08, 2003, 11:05 AM

The Phoenix is a legendary bird, who rises from the ashes of his own funeral pyre and is reborn.

Oh, you mean what was the aeroplane in the film?

That was a Fairchild C-82 transport and after the remains had been butchered to make the Phoenix itself the twin boom twin turned into a single boom hih wing monoplane. The pilot was killed during the making of the film, whist flying the cobbled-together " Phoenix" .

Here's a link to a page about the crash.

http://stripe.colorado.edu/~steinerd/Phoenix.html

It's a good film, the upsetment caused when they realise that the German aero-engineer only designs model aeroplanes for a living is a particularly nice plot twist.

Brian

Viper Pilot · Jun 08, 2003, 11:18 AM

Thanx, Brian,

I know the legend . . . didn't know the plane.

Never seen one of these as a model. Looks like a possibility . . . . I love twins.

VP

dotyj · Jun 08, 2003, 01:58 PM

Without a doubt one of my favorite movies. I thought Jimmy Stewart was gonna lynch the German when he found out he designed model planes!

Jimmy Stewart sure did a lot of airplane movies.
"The Spirit of St. Louis"
"No Highway in the Sky"
"Strategic Air Command"
and "Airport 77"

I love all those movies except "Airport 77".

mode1 · Jun 08, 2003, 02:44 PM

"The Flight of the Phoenix" movie was recently released on DVD. I got mine at Best Buy for $9.95. I really enjoyed watching it again. LeRoy

Dick Huang · Jun 08, 2003, 03:26 PM

The before crash airplane was the Fairchild C-119 I think. There was also a C-82 with twin boom tailes.
I understand some one was killed flying that one boom plane called the Phoenix.
Dick Huang

constantcrash · Jun 08, 2003, 08:18 PM

Brian,
Thanks for the connection to all the info and pictures of the planes used in the movie.

I notice, in the last picture, there is a UH-34 flying around the crash site. I flew many hundreds of hours in that helicopter back in the early 60's. Also had a couple of horrible crashes in them but survived them both.

Certainly enjoyed the movie and have seen it many times.

Thanks again,
Jim

stargazer · Jun 09, 2003, 01:05 AM

I was scanning through some old microfilms of Life Magazine while doing some research for a college paper. While I was browsing I came across an article with photos of what was proported to be the real life basis for the movie. I have never seen anything since and have even read that the movie was entirely fiction. Anybody know? I'd love to read that article again.

Megowcoupe · Jun 09, 2003, 09:19 AM

The name of the pilot who died was Paul Mantz. He was one of the aviation legends- worked in Hollyweird for a number of years- helped Amelia Earhardt plan her round the world trip- etc. (I think he did some of the stunt flying in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad....World".) There is some suggestion that the crash of the Phoenix was an elaborate suicide.

Sam

PS- I like the movie as well.

leccyflyer · Jun 09, 2003, 10:04 AM

Sam

Looking at the stills from the film of the real crash in the above link, it would have had to have been an elaborate suicide indeed to cause the tail to come off during a touch 'n go....................................

jrb · Jun 09, 2003, 10:22 AM

Yes the The Flight of the Phoenix is a great movie.

Here's one of the movie's best lines for us model plane buffs: "Mr. Town, a toy airplane is a thing you wind up with a key and it rolls along the floor, a model aircraft actually flies"

Viper Pilot · Jun 09, 2003, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jrb
. . . . .a toy airplane is a thing you wind up with a key and it rolls along the floor, a model aircraft actually flies"

LOL

VP

JRuggiero · Jun 09, 2003, 09:56 PM

A recent Air Classics (?) magazine had a pic and the caption said that an autopsy on Mantz indicated he was legally drunk at the time

Originally, Mantz's partner, Frank Tallman, was supposed to do the flying, but he had an accident on his kid's go-kart that cost him a leg!

Jim

astroboy · Jun 10, 2003, 12:06 AM

jrb got the jist of it, but as this is also one of my favorite lines, I offer a slightly different version(I was just thinking of it the other day):

"A toy plane is something you wind up and it rolls along the floor. A model aeroplane is something entirely different. "

Jeff

Jun 08, 2003, 10:47 AM	#1
Viper Pilot Heading for the Gambia Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Want to be in Banjul Posts: 4,241	The Flight of the Phoenix Great old movie. Jimmy Stewart at his best. One question, though . . . . what is the Phoenix?? VP

Jun 08, 2003, 11:02 AM	#2
Paul Registered User Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Northeast USA Posts: 335	Are you wondering about the origin of the Phoenix myth or the plane in the movie? The Pheonix is a bird from Greek mythology that lives for 500-1000 years and then dies and reproduces itself, the young Phoenix then lives for another 500-1000 years and the cycle continues.... The plane in the movie, I have no idea. That is one of my favorite movies though. I just watched it a few nights ago. Paul Last edited by Paul; Jun 08, 2003 at 07:19 PM.

Jun 08, 2003, 02:44 PM	#6
mode1 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: United States Posts: 1,228	"The Flight of the Phoenix" movie was recently released on DVD. I got mine at Best Buy for $9.95. I really enjoyed watching it again. LeRoy Last edited by mode1; Jun 08, 2003 at 02:47 PM.

Jun 08, 2003, 08:18 PM	#8
constantcrash Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Trinity, FL Posts: 455	Flight of the Phoenix Brian, Thanks for the connection to all the info and pictures of the planes used in the movie. I notice, in the last picture, there is a UH-34 flying around the crash site. I flew many hundreds of hours in that helicopter back in the early 60's. Also had a couple of horrible crashes in them but survived them both. Certainly enjoyed the movie and have seen it many times. Thanks again, Jim

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Jun 08, 2003, 11:05 AM	#3
leccyflyer Get One Up! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Cheshire, England Posts: 9,302	The Phoenix is a legendary bird, who rises from the ashes of his own funeral pyre and is reborn. Oh, you mean what was the aeroplane in the film? That was a Fairchild C-82 transport and after the remains had been butchered to make the Phoenix itself the twin boom twin turned into a single boom hih wing monoplane. The pilot was killed during the making of the film, whist flying the cobbled-together " Phoenix" . Here's a link to a page about the crash. http://stripe.colorado.edu/~steinerd/Phoenix.html It's a good film, the upsetment caused when they realise that the German aero-engineer only designs model aeroplanes for a living is a particularly nice plot twist. Brian

Jun 08, 2003, 11:18 AM	#4
Viper Pilot Heading for the Gambia Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Want to be in Banjul Posts: 4,241	Thanx, Brian, I know the legend . . . didn't know the plane. Never seen one of these as a model. Looks like a possibility . . . . I love twins. VP

Jun 08, 2003, 01:58 PM	#5
dotyj Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Vancouver, WA Posts: 149	Without a doubt one of my favorite movies. I thought Jimmy Stewart was gonna lynch the German when he found out he designed model planes! Jimmy Stewart sure did a lot of airplane movies. "The Spirit of St. Louis" "No Highway in the Sky" "Strategic Air Command" and "Airport 77" I love all those movies except "Airport 77".

Jun 08, 2003, 03:26 PM	#7
Dick Huang Registered User Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Dallas,TX, USA Posts: 834	The before crash airplane was the Fairchild C-119 I think. There was also a C-82 with twin boom tailes. I understand some one was killed flying that one boom plane called the Phoenix. Dick Huang

Jun 09, 2003, 01:05 AM	#9
stargazer Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Beaverton, Oregon Posts: 52	I was scanning through some old microfilms of Life Magazine while doing some research for a college paper. While I was browsing I came across an article with photos of what was proported to be the real life basis for the movie. I have never seen anything since and have even read that the movie was entirely fiction. Anybody know? I'd love to read that article again.

Jun 09, 2003, 09:19 AM	#10
Megowcoupe Balsa Flies Better! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 5,538	The name of the pilot who died was Paul Mantz. He was one of the aviation legends- worked in Hollyweird for a number of years- helped Amelia Earhardt plan her round the world trip- etc. (I think he did some of the stunt flying in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad....World".) There is some suggestion that the crash of the Phoenix was an elaborate suicide. Sam PS- I like the movie as well.

Jun 09, 2003, 10:04 AM	#11
leccyflyer Get One Up! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Cheshire, England Posts: 9,302	Sam Looking at the stills from the film of the real crash in the above link, it would have had to have been an elaborate suicide indeed to cause the tail to come off during a touch 'n go....................................

Jun 09, 2003, 10:22 AM	#12
jrb Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Edina, MN, USA Posts: 8,568	Yes the The Flight of the Phoenix is a great movie. Here's one of the movie's best lines for us model plane buffs: "Mr. Town, a toy airplane is a thing you wind up with a key and it rolls along the floor, a model aircraft actually flies"

Jun 09, 2003, 09:56 PM	#14
JRuggiero Registered User Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Blacksburg, VA 24060 USA Posts: 1,308	A recent Air Classics (?) magazine had a pic and the caption said that an autopsy on Mantz indicated he was legally drunk at the time Originally, Mantz's partner, Frank Tallman, was supposed to do the flying, but he had an accident on his kid's go-kart that cost him a leg! Jim

Jun 10, 2003, 12:06 AM	#15
astroboy Superhero, Third Class Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Carson City, NV Posts: 687	jrb got the jist of it, but as this is also one of my favorite lines, I offer a slightly different version(I was just thinking of it the other day): "A toy plane is something you wind up and it rolls along the floor. A model aeroplane is something entirely different. " Jeff